Apparatus for controlling the position of a mineral mining machine

Abstract

Apparatus for controlling the position of a mineral mining machine, such as a coal plough, guided for movement back and forth along a guide employs inclined piston and cylinder units coupled via ball-and-socket joints to brackets on a conveyor supporting the guide and to connectors which are pivotably connected to the conveyor. Assemblies have parallel elongate beams which are guided on roof supports and linked to the connectors. Each connector is of multi-part construction with a main skid resting on the floor of the working and connected to the conveyor and to the associated beams. A further complementary component fits onto the main skid and the parts of the connector have curved recesses which combine to form a socket for receiving a ball of the associated unit.

We claim: 
     
       1. In apparatus for controlling the position of a mineral mining machine movable along guide means and comprising bracket means connected to said guide means, at least one elongate beam displaceable relative to a roof support, connection means effecting pivotal connection between the guide means and said beam and at least one inclined piston and cylinder unit connected between the connection means and the bracket means and operable to adjust the position of the guide means; the improvements comprising: the unit is connected to the connection means with a ball-and-socket joint, the connection means takes the form of a multi-part head-piece with a main body for resting on the floor of the mine working and a detachable complimentary part, said main body having means for effecting pivotal connection with the guide means, means for fixing the body to said at least one beam, a curved recess in the body forming part of the socket of said ball-and-socket joint and an inclined upper mounting surface on the body which extends to a lower region of the curved recess, and said complimentary part having a curved recess which forms the remaining part of said socket with an inclined lower mounting surface on said complimentary part which is engageable with said inclined surface of the main body, the body and the complimentary part having alignable bores which are inclined away from the bracket means and receive fixing bolts which detachably secure the complimentary part to the main body. 
     
     
       2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body has an outwardly projecting lug which receives a pivot pin for linking the head-piece to the bracket means and lateral projections at the sides of the curved recess which receive a pair of parallel elongate beams displaceable relative to the roof support. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the complementary part engages on the body between said lateral projections. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the complementary part has an upper surface which is inclined in an opposite sense to its lower surface. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body and the complimentary part have bores for receiving the heads of said fixing bolts and nuts engaged therewith. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wall of the curved recess in the complementary part has a groove which receives a pin on a ball of the unit engaged in the socket formed by the recesses of the body and the complementary part. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said groove extends from the mouth of the socket formed by the recesses of the body and the complementary part to a lower region of said socket. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide means is provided by a guide on one side of a conveyor and the bracket means is located on a side of the conveyor oposite said one side. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the piston and cylinder unit is also connected to the bracket means with a ball-and-socket joint.